Rabbit care can be relatively expensive: you should buy a water dispenser, a chew toy and a cage.  Rabbits like large places where they can play and relax. So they will feel more comfortable in a large, roomy cage. Rabbits are likely to eat anything you give them. Nevertheless, you should consider that they have very sensitive tummies and you should not frequently change your rabbit’s diet from one food to another.

Another issue is that they love to be around other rabbits. The company of a fellow rabbit and baby rabbits can really amaze them, so you should make your rabbit’s family larger, of course spending double or even more.

Rabbits as pets have one more disadvantage. Once you come home you can find the cables, computer cords, telephone, radio, or TV in a state of ruin. And all that thanks to the long “trademark” teeth that rabbits have to satisfy their desire for chewing.

But the real reason why I don’t have a pet rabbit is that they act according to their natural instincts only — you call them but they don’t come, and it is not because they are dumb animals. Your rabbit can live its whole life with you without knowing who you are. It may know when you’ll come and jump on your lap, but none of these actions is a sign of love or loyalty towards you.

For example, dogs run to help you when you are in danger, cats stay beside you when you don’t feel well, but don’t have such expectations from rabbits as pets, they are indifferent.

All this sounds strange, doesn’t it? But it is even stranger that a single pitiful look from a couple of mini rabbits can melt your heart and make you forgive any damn thing they may have done,  just to enjoy their presence around you.

Photo © zennarella, eflon

Now when I see a rabbit, no matter whether dwarf rabbits or an angora rabbit, the first feeling that I have is to bring it home and protect it. From what? I don’t know. Maybe just because I want to clear the timid expression of their eyes.

When you see a small rabbit it is almost impossible not to fall in love with it, but before choosing rabbits as pets you should know what you  can expect from them and what kind of pets they will make.

Nowadays pet markets are flooded by the variety of pet rabbits, but you must know which one will most suit you and whether it will make a good pet or not.

While purchasing a pet rabbit, people usually go to small, dwarf rabbits like the Netherlands dwarf, as they are too cute and easy to care for.

The next ones that enjoy great popularity are medium-sized rabbits like the Dutch, English and Dwarf lop, as they are very attractive, docile and intelligent. Dwarf lops will make very good house rabbits, despite the fact of being called “dwarf” they can grow quite big.

Larger rabbit breeds like the New Zealand White, Flemish Giant and Californian aren’t preferable rabbits as pets particularly for those who have small children, as they can be quite aggressive towards small people.

Those who like to have an unusual pet rabbit may purchase a Lion Head rabbit or rex breeds with unusual short fur type, which has a kind of sheen to it.

Angora rabbit has a long, soft fur and requires a lot of grooming. When housing them you should be extremely careful to avoid staining their fur, so they are not a good choice if you have children or a family member who has asthma.

Why you should have rabbits as pets?

Rabbits are extremely cute and lovely — it is out of question. Just watching them hop, listen by perking up their long ears, eat, sleep or just lie in the sun can bring a smile to your face. All that also has a very relaxing effect.

• Rabbits as pets are very unique. It’s very original to go for a walk with a soft fury friend.

• Rabbits are very friendly, they can live well with a variety of other animals. For example, a rabbit gets along with guinea pigs very well.

• Your eating habits will be improved — your vegetarian pet should always be supplied with fresh vegetables. Watching these cute animals eat healthy food encourages their owners to make a salad for themselves.

• I recommend you to purchase a female rabbit, as males tend to show sexual aggression and will urinate all over the house unless they are neutered.

It’s all great about rabbits, but if you want to have one in your home, then you should know what bad expectations you should have from your rabbits as pets. Just read my next post and only then decide whether you want to have a pet rabbit or not.

Photo © Carly & Art, yienshawn92~

So not only humans but dogs are also prone to automatic or instinctive imitation. Moreover, dogs are learning people by imitating and it’s a form of flattery. Dogs even imitate the yawns which is simply striking. And the most surprising is that even if they don’t intend to copy, they automatically do so without any special pets training.

The recent studies of Austrian researcher Dr. Friederike Range and her team discovered amazing truth with a door-opening test. She and her colleagues built a box with sliding door which could be easily opened with a knob.

Then they divided the dogs into two groups. The owners showed how to open the door both with the help of hand and the mouth. When they opened it with hand, the dog did the same with the paw and got the reward, when they opened the door with mouth, the dog followed their example and got the reward again.

The second group of the dogs had to do vice versa, in other words when the owner opened the door with hand he should have done the same with mouth. This supposed some dog pet training.

But the dogs in the second group followed humans again. It means that dogs learned the second task harder and this shows that dogs have predisposition to imitate movement of humans automatically, so you basically don’t need to get dog training DVDs to develop your pet obedience. Although it is a fact that  dogs develop more when being trained.

Dogs’ imitation of humans is really great but as the animal develops he learns more of human behavior, which according to Dr. Range carries some risks as well.

Still, it should be very interesting and funny to watch your pet dog performing the same tasks. Enjoy the company of your smart dog and remember that if your pets imitate you, it means that they refer to you as their best pet trainers.

Photo © Kelly West Mars

So now we’re going to look for both male cat names and female cat names based on personalities and many other factors.

• Wild. If your cat is wild think of Cyclone, Twister and Taz (short for Tasmanian Devil).
• Calm. For calm personalities consider Dreamer and Phish.
• Mischievous. Your mischievous cat won’t mind to be called Wizard, Beelzebub or Diablo. Why Diablo??? But why not?

• Music names. You can give your cat pet some of music and sound names such as Jazz, Soprano, Jingle, Maestro, Lyric, Whisper and Rhythm.

• Cute names. If you find your cat very sweet and I’m sure you do, think of Bumble, Hugz, Kiki, Poppy and Dustbunny.

• Funny names. Consider some of these funny names as well–Rover, Hey You, A.C. (which stands for another cat), Dammit, Aristocrat (Ari) and Spot.

• Cartoon, TV based names. Names from Cartoons, TV and books are also interesting to look for. For instance, Gizmo, Harry Potter, Tarzan, Zoro, Batman, Oscar, Calvin, Romeo, Casanova (Nova) and the name of famous comedy actor Mr.Bean, would surely suit your funny cat.

• Smart names for cats. Your smart cat probably won’t mind to be given a name of a famous figure such as Einsten, Da Vinci, Bogart, Titus and Mozart.

• Names based on Gods and legends. And what about names based on Gods and legends? If you find it interesting, Freya, Osiris, Pandora, Zeus, Minevra, Adonis (which is usually called as Donny) may be of your interest.

• Outer space names. It looks a bit weird yet interesting to give your cat an outer space and universe names such as Galaxy, Comet, Cosmos, Venus and Nova.

• Technology Based Names. Have you ever heard about them? They’re really unique so your cat will be proud to be given such a special name like Pixel, Browser and Byte.

• Food and drink based names. Names such as Biscuit, Peanut, Cocoa and Cola are also rare but… funny and amusing!

• Weather based names. This may sound ridiculous or weird but the names can be based on weather as well. I was thinking to name my pet Tsunami, Thunder or Storm but he is not that fierce, I think.

Whatever you choose make sure that the name is as unique as your pet. And also be sure that neither you nor your cat will ever be ashamed of it.

Photo © swanky

I myself was looking for cat pets names for a long time, but not all of them are really interesting and special. So I’m going to share with you some special pet names both for female and male cats, which attracted my attention.

But there are some tips you should know before you choose a proper name for your cat.

1. If you choose a name with “E” ending your cat will respond faster (promptly).

2. Your cat would respond faster if you choose a short name.

3. Yet if you like a name which is long than you may think of a short nickname as well.

4. And try to picture the way you call your pet’s name. If it looks embarrassing to you, choose another one. For instance can you imagine yourself calling your cat Elizabeth Emily Red? I think you’ll imagine Emy and Lizie better. Also pronounce the name aloud several time to determine whether you like it or not.

5. Lastly, your pet’s name should somehow suit him by appearance, personality traits, color, breed and so on.

• Orange cats. If your cat’s color is orange, think of Paprika, Sunset, Chilli.
• White cats. If it’s white Frosty, Icey and Snowflake would suit him.
• Black cats. If it’s black Mephistopheles–Mephisto for short , Shadow or Ebony would suit him as well.
• Grey. Your grey kitten won’t mind to be called Ash Smokey Ghost.
• Yellow. Mooney, Goldie, Buttercup will suit a yellow one.
• Brown. Cappuchino, Latte, Coffee will go for a brown cat.

You can even create a name for your cat yourself. For instance choose your favorite syllables and combine them.:)

Choosing names from fairy tales, movies or cartoons is also a good idea. Nugent–As in Ted Nugent, Rapunzel, Godiva for long-haired kittens; or Cinderella and Matilda.

If you’re still thinking  to name something more original I’ve more to suggest in my next post.

Photo © swanky

The most interesting fact about pythons is that they sense the odor of their prey at a distance. They suddenly attack the prey, swallow it, and it thereby dies from suffocation.

The size of python snakes ranges from 3 to 33 feet, and they can weigh up to 300 pounds. Large pythons can eat even pigs and it would take seven days to digest one. Smaller pythons eat mice and rats.

Pythons can survive quite well in both dry and wet conditions. These snakes also have the ability to swim and climb trees.

Python snakes would rarely hurt people if not provoked by them. A female python is very aggressive when defending her eggs and in such a situation it’s likely that she would attack. So be extremely careful.

There are a lot of species of python snakes and the most common type of pet is a ball python. The name “ball” sounds a bit funny, but that’s because they roll up and tuck their heads. Ball pythons are also known as King or Royal pythons.

Ball pythons are very distinctive, usually black with yellow markings, but are also found in many other colors.

As with any other pet, a python snake needs proper care–suitable housing, clean water and the right diet.

Housing. A 10-20 gallon tank will suit your small active snake.

Water. When shedding starts some snakes soak in water so you should provide your pet python with a large water dish and change the water regularly to keep it fresh.

Feeding. Your pet python would be glad to eat mice and rats, which can be found in pet stores.

Besides feeding and caring about the comfort of your python, you should give your love and attention to it. They will certainly enjoy frequent handling and petting.

Photo © guenterleitenbauer

This very unique cat is a natural breed, so there hasn’t been human interference or cross-breeding in its lineage.  Apart from their beauty, gracefulness and alert intelligence, the outstanding characteristic feature of Van cats is their love for water, which is far from being regarded as a feline attribute. Another interesting thing about the Van cat’s appearance is its eyes–one  is blue, while the other is amber

The Van cat requires no special cat diet or grooming, notwithstanding the fact that it has long hair. It can easily be called “a family cat” and you can adopt this cat without worrying.

A fully grown (3-5 year-old) Van cat weighs about 12 pounds, but sometimes males can reach 16-19 pounds. So you can’t really snuggle with these guys.  The price of these cats vary widely depending on the geographical location and can fluctuate between $350 to $600 for a kitten.

This cat breed was first imported in the US in 1982. They are still being imported, but the imports are rare, because this breed is considered a national treasure in its homeland.

Debates concerning the heritage of the Van cat have been going on between the nations of Turkey and Armenia for a long time.

Yet, genetic research shows that this cat breed originated about 10,000 years ago. Therefore, the Van cat must have a more ancient origin than the ethnic groups now inhabiting the region around Lake Van.

For sure, due to its large size and uncharacteristic love of water, the Van cat can be considered an exotic pet. But if you are a lover of felines, you might want to keep one at home, especially if you live nearby a lake.

Photo © wikimedia

Your pet rat’s fur must be thick and the mouth should not be wet, as it may be a sign of dental problems.

Their average life span is two to three years. They rarely bite, yet they might if you have little children at home, so don’t let them play rough.

Rats are fancy pets, they are very curious and like to explore whatever is new. You can keep two or three rats at the same time as they get along with each other well. Just make sure they are of the same sex if you don’t won’t to end up with baby rats. They usually have 6-12 in a litter.

Here’s what you need to know about caring for a pet rat:

• Tank. The glass tank to keep your rat must be a minimum of 15 gallons. You can optionally choose a wire cage for your rat. Avoid cedar bedding in a cage as it contains toxins and rats may suffer from allergies. A wooden one will be great. Put a ladder in the cage as rats like climbing but avoid putting tubes as they are not easy to clean. Clean your rat’s cage at least once a week.

• Food. Many pet owners simply lack information concerning pet diet and that leads to many diseases in pets.  You need to feed your pet rat with rice, strawberries, apples, carrots and peanuts, which they simply adore. Don’t give your pet rat chocolate, spinach, potatoes or cabbage as they contain toxins. Actually don’t give him anything you are not sure he should eat. Rats are intelligent, and if you want to tame them you can use food as incentive.

• Water. Since rats are very tidy animals, they like it when everything is clean, including the water. Sometimes they even wash their food in the water, so you can put a bowl in the cage.

• General care. Rats don’t need frequent bathing (although they really enjoy it). It’s important to keep your pet’s nails trimmed. You can learn do it yourself or take to a vet. Also take your rat to a vet for checkups as obesity and respiratory diseases are common among them.

Lastly, be caring towards your pet. They really need the attention.

Photo © Margotte apprentie naturaliste

If you haven’t, consider a pet mouse. On the average a mouse measures three inches and weighs about one ounce. Mice usually live from one to three years. They are curious, fancy and lovely pets that are quite active at daytime. But they are fragile and if you have children, don’t let them play rough with them.

Housing

Mice are social and will make good companions. Now consider the following — if you’re going to keep two male mice together, introduce them to each other at a young age as the adult ones may fight. Don’t keep a male and female together if you don’t want to have a mice-filled house. Mice breed very frequently.

Keep your pet mouse in a 10 gallon aquarium with a wire cover or in a wire cage. Just make sure that your mouse won’t be able to sneak out of the cage. Put paper shavings and an exercise wheel in the cage as mice simply adore running. Make sure the wheel is not padded so your pet won’t get hurt.

Diet

Mice need protein and fiber. Start with carrots, peas, fruits and vegetables. Then pay attention to what your mouse enjoys eating most. Just remember do not give too much of anything. Many people think it’s good to give a mouse corn, candy, onions, chocolate, cabbage and uncooked beans–never give them such food. Also make sure their water is always clean.

Care

It’s obvious that you should clean the mouse cage–change the bedding often. Male mice have a more pronounced odor than females, so if you keep a male mouse, you will have to clean the cage more frequently. Give your mouse small wood pieces or chew toys to gnaw on–they’re good for the teeth.

Mice are very good jumpers and if you want to take your pet mouse in your hands, you need to tame it beforehand. So how should you do it? Feed him in your hands and soon he’ll get used to it. Mice also get used to voice soon, so talk to them.

Veterinary care

If your mouse starts sneezing and coughing and you notice  weight loss, take him immediately to a vet. These may be signs of disease. The most common problem in mice is that they are susceptible to parasites such as lice. So make sure your pet is healthy.

Photo © xenonb.

They come in brown, white and black colors. Ferrets are domesticated animals but the history of their domestication is unknown. Though it’s believed that the ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate the ferret.

Nowadays in some countries such as Portugal and Iceland it is not allowed (by law) to keep ferrets as pets because ferrets may carry distemper and rabies viruses. In some states such as California and Hawaii and also several cities of the US they are banned. Though in most parts of the US they are quite popular pets.

It’s not recommended to bring a ferret home if there are small children in your house. Pet ferrets are not the best choice, as they nip and bite especially when children play rough with them. Yet if you are deciding to bring a pet ferret home, take your time reading the following information.

• Appearance: The body of a ferret pet is long, with a 5-inch tail. The average length is 20 inches. Some ferrets have pink eyes and white fur, others have dark coloration. The average weight is from 1.5 to 5 pounds.

• Cage: As ferrets are playful they need a large enough wire cage, so they can play inside it.

• Diet: Ferrets are carnivores. They need protein rich food such as meat, fruit and vegetables. Ferrets are similar to domestic cats and some ferret owners say that it’s okay to give a ferret kitten food.

• Bathing and grooming: You should bathe a ferret once a month. And when bathing never dip it into water — their eyes and ears may get infected. You can groom your ferret daily as they really enjoy it and you can also groom while bathing. Brush your ferret’s teeth with special animal toothpaste and buy ferret shampoo at pet stores.

• Diseases: Cancer is the most common disease among the ferrets. So take your pet ferret to a vet regularly to check his health. Hairballs and dental problems are also noticed frequently in ferrets.

• Taming. If you would like to tame your pet ferret take him in your hands. The more you do so, the sooner he’ll get accustomed and be tamed.

And by the way they sleep long, usually about 15-20 hours a day. So you can easily go to work without thinking of getting a companion for your pet.

Photo © hddod